The 5-foot-4 sophomore won the 800-meter run and the 1,500-meter run while anchoring the winning 4x800-meter relay team at the state meet this past season, leading the Patriots to a second-place finish as a team. Merrill's winning time in the 1,500 of 4:29.70 ranked as the nation's No. 12 among prep competitors this spring at the time of her selection. She finished third in the 800 at the New England Outdoor Championships, slashing nearly six seconds off her previous personal-best with a time of 2:09.12, which ranked No. 36 in the nation in 2017 at the time of her selection.
Merrill has maintained a 3.58 GPA in the classroom. She will begin her junior year of high school this fall.
Merrill has volunteered locally at an animal shelter and she has donated her time as part of multiple initiatives through her school's Community Service Club. "Nikki Merrill is exceptional-watching her run is just plain fun," said Annmarie Gower, head coach of Barrington High. "She has a plan in mind and doesn't seem to stray from it. As she accelerates toward the end of her races, it is beautiful to watch."
